1953 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 1968 Mercury Montclair
To start off, 1968 Mercury Montclair is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air would be higher. At 6,393 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Mercury Montclair is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Mercury Montclair (267 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 152 more horse power than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. (115 HP @ 3700 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1968 Mercury Montclair should accelerate faster than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Mercury Montclair weights approximately 515 kg more than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1968 Mercury Montclair (546 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 275 more torque (in Nm) than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. (271 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1968 Mercury Montclair will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air.
Compare all specifications:
| 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air | 1968 Mercury Montclair | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Bel Air | Montclair |
| Year Released | 1953 | 1968 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3859 cc | 6393 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 267 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3700 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 271 Nm | 546 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1483 kg | 1998 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4980 mm | 5560 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1910 mm | 1990 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1650 mm | 1410 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2930 mm | 3130 mm |
